Cotton-picking machine.



H. LfFISHER. COTTON PICKING MACHINE. v APPLICATION FILED AUG-22, 1912.

Patented June 12, 1917.

5 SHEETQ-SHEU l- -H. L. FISHER. COTTON PICKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FI LED AUG-22, l9l 2- i Patented Junei2, 1917.

H. L. FISHER. COTTON PICKING MACHINE. A APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1912. v 1,229,599, PatentedJune12,19l7.

s SHEETST-SHEET s.

HJL. FISHER. COTTON PIGKI NG MAC Patented June12, 1917.

6 shins-spin 4.

u. L. FISHER.

COTTON PICKING MACHINE. APPLlCATION FILED AUGJZ. 1912.

Patefited June 12, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- [To all 'wkom' it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY L. FISHER, a cijtizenofitheUnited States, residing at Ol1icag0,=,in; the county of Cool; and State of Ilhnoisliave invented certain new and use- Improvements in Cotton-Picking Ma'- e ohject; of my invention is a cotton 'picking machine which will rapidly and thoroughly pick all the ripe cotton on the aiits towhich it is applied, without breakii' g;' ori-ii'ijiuring them or the unopened bolls 3M of ii'iiii'iati re cotton, which maybe operated byiithose unskilled in mechanics and with a mui'n-of attention on the part of the opcenter; and which suliiciently light, easy a ining, and strong for the purpose, and ma he built at a iiiode'rateeost. One of the acts about the cotton plant which, 18' ,prol'ilem a dilliciilt one, is that the bolt do not all ripen together but mature at,difl'ereiit,periods, requiringa number of lJlQkillgsfififllG same plant. It is therefore iiece ary that in the earlier pickings the plant andimmature bolls be uninjured or ne of theei'op is materially diniin- With this in view my machine conn aitruek or vehicle adapted to span a row i of plants without injuring the boring rows and to be drawn along lIQi'OXV carrying a pair of picker mechlS,;. il1'l:lllgB(l on opposite sides of the y I and between which is a passage or cha ne through which the plants pass as the l llil flllill e is drawn forward. As the itmenter the passage they are penetrated 1 ploi'ed by a series or battery of toothed Jiiidles (ii-lingers, which travel backth the ,plant as the machine is drawn 1rd,. while they revolve to grip and iup the cotton with which they come in The spindles are so closely posid tha-espectlto each other throughout 1%, ieightaiid thickness ofthe plant that it is npossibleior an opened boll to escape coiitactwitl uff c n boll togo through t a rated. to i erm it an unopened ings and 01 01" which. the :t'ollowii'ig is a specificaie of them and yet they he, passage without ll]: 1

i described in de 1, machine em o lv e 'froin'theniotor. vI i to, understood, how,- 1

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

sinner L; ,FIsHEn, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR rononiuroson & FISHER comv PANY, orcmonoo, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

COTTON-PAICKING' MACHINE.-

ever, that the specific form of machine is illustrative only and disclosed for thepur- ,pose of exemplification, and that myv invention is not limited to the details of construc; tion disclosed, but is pointed out in the following claims.

Referring now to the drawings forming a r part of this application, Figure 1 1s a p an view of the picker machine of preferred construction; Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal, vertical. section upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse section upon the-broken line 33 of Fig. 1, lookin in'the direction of the arrows; Fig. l, is z hori' zontalseetion upon the line -.'l-l of Fig. 2;-'

Fig. 5 is a partial or fragmentary yiew in elevation, parts being shown in sect on upon the line 5-5 of Fig. lyl igl' 6 is a detailed sectional view upon the line 6-4) of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; Figs. 7 and 8 are sectlonal details upon the line 7 7 and 88 respectively of Fig. (i, lookiiig in the direction of the arrows; Figs, 9 and 10 are details on an enlarged scale, the

foriiieron the line 99 of F ig. 4, looking in the direction of thearrows, and the latter inhorizontal section upon the line 10-10 of Fig. 9; Fig. 10 is a sectionupon the line 10"-10 of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of'the arrows; Figs. 11 and 19. are similar views of a modification, Fig. 11 being taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 12 and the latter on the line 12--12 of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a central sectional view on an enlarged scale of a detail; Fig. 1+ is a side elevation of certain features of the n'iachine partially in section, and Figs. 15 and 16 are a fragmentary elevation and a section upon the line 161(3 of Fig. 15 respectively of one of the spindles on'an enlarged scale. The same symbol of reference has been applied to each nountedupona truck or carriage adapted to be propelled by draft animals, but it will be evident that it is equally adapted for use in connection with a motor-driven vehicle, in which event the picker mechanisms may be driveneither from the traction wheels as in the machine illustrated or more directly The truck consists of a rigid frame mounted upon four wheels with i part throughout the drawings and the fola clear longitudinal pa$age therethrou gh, the frame withthis end in view consisting of a pair of connected arches, the forward arch l7 being an I-beam bent to form a transverse member 18 and a pair of ide--j pending legs or members, one Of'.WhlCh is shown in Fig. 2.at 19. The rear arch 20 is similar in construction but of greater height they (see Fig. 2). The rear wheels of the vehicle for a reason which will appear, andthe-two arches-are connected by longitudinally ex-.'

tending side pieces21, the angles. between which and the. legs of the arches'to which are attached beingbmced as at 22, 23

are mounted upon spindles 24, 24gextendin'g through and secured in the lower ends of the legs of the rear arch, and for grea'ter'strength brackets 25, 25 are secured to both of the outer faces of thearch ends and also; receive the journals of the rear wheels in thehubs or bosses 26, 26 which are bored in register with the openings in the lower ends of the arch for this purpose. The front wheels, ,however', are not mounted directly upon the lower ends of the front arch, but in order to provide for steering the machine their journals 27, 27 project horizontally from a. pair of vertically-pivoted rods 28, 28, which are mounted in suitable brackets projecting from the legs or upright members of the arch and provided at their upper ends: with rearwardly extending crank arms 29, 29,

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown the machine provided With a tongue 30 to which the draft animals are'to be secured and which is pivoted at 31, but a rearward exten sion32 thereof provides a convenient attachment for links 33, 33 connecting'it to the crank arms 29, 29 so that the front wheels 34, 3A of'the vehicle turn with the tongue. The rear wheels 35, 35 as before stated are journaled upon stub shafts extending di- 'may be driven from the wheels 1 hicle as hereinafter described.

The picker mechanism is in duplicate on opposite sides of the machine and is substan'-' tia ly inclosed in a pair of housings 37, 37

- conne'ctedtogether by L-beams 38, 39 a t-the outside wal s of the rear and front of the to respectively, but;

spaced to form a passage' or the cotton plant" betweentheir smooth adjacent walls 40, 40.

unit vertically with respect to the trunk or carriage to which they are connected by longitudinally extending links/1 1, 42,- pivoted near the to and bottom respectively of the icker chambers and to theinside of thevertical members of the legs of the front arch (see Figs. 1 and 2). A pair of parallel skids '43, 44 is interposed be-- tween the picker mechanism and theyground and'extends considerably ahead of the former, to the inner walls of which the front ends of the skids are connected by a forwardly flaring pair of guides or wings 45,

45, which serve to draw together the laterally the rear arch and at their lower ends to the rear Walls of the picker housings by suitableeye brackets. The strength of the springs is such that'the'skids or runners remam in contact with the ground and partially support the picker mechanism but the weight resting upon them is not such as to make the friction excessive orto prevent their rising slightly ass obstructions.

t is desirable, however, when the machine is to be transported from place to place to raisethe skids and picker mechanism until they are entirely supported by the truck and for this. purpose, I have provided a transverse shaft 47, which is provided at its opposite ends with ri-gid arms 48, 48 connected by links 49, 49 with horizontal links 42, 42. An operatin handle 50 is also rigidl mounted upon the transverse shaftfor roc in the latter and raising and lowering the pic er mechanism, and a suitable latch 51 ,on a handle e06 crates with a notched sector '52 to lock the s aft with the icker mechanism in either position. I As s own in Figs. -1 and 2, the lock shaft is mounted upon a cross-brace 53, thoughit may be mounted in any other manner or convenient location.

he picker mechanism, as stated above,jis mounted in two similar housings upon opposit'e sidesof the machine and as' the mechanisms in the housings are identical in every respect, it will be suflicient for the present purpose-to describe one of them, it being understood that the description applies equally to the mechanism upon theopposite side of the machine. As stated in the introductory part of the specification, the picker fingers are arranged to travel backward with a speed equal to the forward speedof' the device as a. whole, when in'contact'with the plants, and that they are so closely arranged with respect to each'other that no ripe cotton boll can escape contact with one of them-and pass The picker mechanisms are movable as a.

rection of their axes and those'c'ontained in "the housing on one side of the machine ex- I jected'into contact with the plants in the di tend, when projected, substantially to the wall of the housing on fthe other side of the machine, thereby penetrating the plants between the brane es thereof throughout their' thickness, and they are arranged in a series:

drawn or retractedat the rear ciidoi the slot and returned within the housing to the nients, the horizontal rows of pickers of one mechanism alternating with the rows of the other picker mQGlliljllSll'l, the pickers of one mechanism being also offset or staggered horizontally with referenceto those of the other set, thus-producing a regular and close arrangement and even distribution of the pickers traveling through the picking passage. -In Fig. 2, the inner wall of one picker chamber shown at 40 and the arrangement of; the pickers 54L pr0 ect1ng from that side ofthcmaijzhine is clearly shown, and in Fig. 1 the alternation. of the )ickers in the horizontal plane is illustrated.

Themeeh i' isl'n for projecting, retracting, advancing and rotating the picker. fingers isms-my shown in Iiigs. l, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 13. -As s howiijin\.Fig. 2, thetii'mer wall of each 29 'liousihg is provided with a series of generajlly horizontal slots 55, 55, through which at their rear ends inclined slightly downthe'pickersare projected and along which they are fed and finally retracted, the slots at their forward ends being bent downward and then backward as shown in Fig. E2 and ward foca'prurpose which will appear. 'A

distinct set of picker fingers is fedwilong each slot from the beginn ng to the end i thereof in regltllar succession and withfort rd end ofthe slot. to repeat the operation For this purpose the picker fingers of ea 1 horizontal series are mounted upon a Pal particularly Fig. 4) each lil OllIitGd upon and; guided by a, series of'three sprocket wheels 5 8; 59, and (31,62, 63, respectively.

The sprocket wheels are mounted upon a "horiion tal section or frame comprising the transversely-extending strutsfi i, and the inclined'stii'iilts (i6, G7, which are formed of a readil suitable structural. steel and removably. so

cured withinthe housing, the transverse struts preferably being bolted to the, inner wall offthe housing and to a horizontal structural member 68 within the outer wall of the casing it being understood that there the imit of which: it forms or iinconveni a vertical elevation, willshjow the relu,

degrees tothc horizontalfthe purpose d .a slightly lower le of" endless sprocket chains 56,-57, (see which" advantage that in case the cotton plants to be picked are shorter than the maxinuu'n capacity of the machine thatis to sit do not rise to the leveliof the higher pic ing units, the latter maybe removed,.thereby lightening the machine, and thenumber of parts to be operated and consequently the power to be applied. Areferenoe to Figs. 5 and 6, the latter of which, as before'stated,

tire. position and ;arrangement the sprocket wheels; From theeefigares it will be seenl that thesprocket wheels refer-y, ranged at an angle, preferablyiof 15 1 "l8 that the spindles which are? attae to thc endless chains passinglover thesefisrockets shall be returned to the forward f thel machine at a lower let'el' than' thii they are fed backward when, ope ati 28!}- the plants. It will ;r1foted ence to F -landTy-thltt are not only morerem wall of the housingtha intermediate sprockets;

direction of the slots 7 purpose of this arr I l later. Each ofithef H 'formed upon its; uppe fade crown gear 72, 731*" from a shaft] throughoutthe ilo! formed in the out and provided with i v 7 6, oneforeaclrof' t e fragmentary section -ioflth trated in elevationiin 1! its pi'nions1"k"6, Til eshingwith 77 77 which are formed,on th with beveled gear s78, 78 fro which the above mentioned I own gears 72, TS-areE driven respectively through the}: ginterm'ee diary of a long and a short sl'iaft79c8meachhaving a pair of beveled "pinions' 81" 82"upmi' to its oppos'ite ends. The beveled gears;78 are! mounted in brackets83, 84 which; are attadhed below and above to] the member 64 of the frame of the section and these brack f ets also provide' journal.bearings-forkthe shafts 79 and 80. Itfwill' beappamat that; i the only continuous vertical member of the mechanisn'r thus described is vthe driving. shaft 74, Hand this memberf"S preferabIy' journaled to or mountedon-the rear wall 69 of the housihgand removable therewith v so that when thewall isrenioved; the-picket: 1 By this arrange-sq a y sections 'or 'unitsk may -be r mo be uiiversallyipivoted to the chains in order, t P

rmit them. to travel. around the end sprockets and to be lowered and raised from one level to the other. Referring more particularly to Fig. 13, which shows the 0on StILlClSIOH on an enlaiged scale, one of the links of the chain is shown in section at 85 7 identical mounting is'used to connect 'each of the picker fingers to each of the chains and it will beobserved by a reference to Figs. 4 andfi that it permits the spindles to shift from a position above the sprocket -chains first to a position in. the horizontal plane thereof, tllen to a position below the same and finally to resume their position above the chains as the spindles are progressively fed rearwardly of the machine,

, retracted, fed forward and -n'ojected. Each of the spindles carries a gear 93 by which it is given a rap1d revolution when in the pro ected position, at which time the pnnon travels horizontally along a stationary rack 94 arranged. in the patlrof the pinion for this purpose (see Figs. 4 and 5). The rack extends parallel to the course of the spindles throughout that portion thereof in which the spindles are fully projected and through a portion of the distance or path'during which they are being withdrawn. It is desirable, however, that the spindles be yieldingly supported so that they may give way in the direction of their axes when meeting anobstruction and this is particularly necessary to avoid injury to-the cotton plant or the unripe bolls. With this end in view,

the spindles are loosely mounted in the sleeves 92andkeyed to the pinions 93 as shown particularly in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, and

in order to normally hold the spindles in their operative or projected position, springs 95 are provided between the pinions and collars 95 upon the spindles as shown in Fig. 6.

Provision is made for stripping the cotton from the spindles as they are withdrawn into the housing. For this purpose, I arrange a pneumatic chamber inside the housing and adjacent and on opposie sides of the rearportion of the slot through which the spindles travel and within such chamber I provide means for stripping the cotton from the spindles. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the chamberin each instance consists of anupper and a lower member 96, 97

arranged upon opposite sides of and close' to the seriesof spindles, and the chamber was is connected by a tubular passage 98 with a riser 99 common to all 'the'series of pickersand leading to a fan 100, and a storage slot therein, I arrange a pair of light, re-

silient plates 102, 103 which are in contact at their-ed ries of pic er fingers passing therebetween, and as these spring plates are inclined with 5 above and below with the sereference to this portion of the path of the icker fingers, the latter are drawn through tween the edges ofthe plates and the cotton stripped from them, whereupon it is immediately withdrawn :by the pneumatic means and fed to the storage chamber. The stripper mechanism above described is preferred by me, but in Figs. 11 and 12, I have shown a different form thereof which is also very effective for the purpose. In this sec ond form of stripping mechanism, the

springs are dispensed with and the lower edge of the inside slot of the stripping chamher is acute, and so located with reference to the path of the picker fingers that the latter bear upon the same with some degree of pressure. The upper member of the stripping chamber, which is formed in two sections as in the previously-described modification, also approaches closely to the picker fingers and at its rear end, where the course of the picker fingers turns down wardly, is provided with a curved spring member 104 which is pivoted at 105 and held in gentle contact with the picker lingers by a spring 106. As thesepicker fingerswipe past the acute edge-of the stripping chamber during the period when they are'being retracted, the cotton is removed therefrom as previously. described, drawn away-by the suction mechanism and deposited 1n the storage chamber. The picker fingers may be provided with any of a variety of barbs or projections for entangling the cotton and starting it to wind upon the spindle. In--Figs. 15 and 16, I have shown a form of finger which has proven satisfactory in which-a single spiral series of barbs or barbs 109 having abrupt outer ends 110.

This form of fin ger'is that preferredby me and is superior to any similar devices of the prior art in thatdt is easy to manufacs ture, the'spiral form' of the groove and arrangement of teeth permits a larger number of teeth or barbs with a single groove than 'is possible with a series longitudinally-of rest, as

extend therefrom to sprocket wheels 111,

111 upon a transverse shaft 112 journaled in the arch near lts crown; The shaft 112 1s also provided near its opposite ends with bevel gears 113 for driving the picker mechanisms. The shafts 74 of the latter carry at their upper ends beveled gears 114114 and between said gears and the beveled gears upon the trai'isversc scopic radius shafts 115-415 which are universally jointed at their oppositeends to shafts bearing beveled gears 116-117 meshing with the gears upon the vertical shafts and those upon the lun'izm'ital shaft respectively.

The o 'icration fully (.lcs(v-ribed in connection with of the machiiie has been the construction but n'iay be sunnnarized as follows: The machine is drawn along astraddle a row or number of cotton plants to be picked wlnch are guided by the wings or guides into the plant passage between the plckcr (.fil'ltill'll)el'S. Before reaching the plants the plcker-mechamsm is lowered so that the skids are in contact with the grouml. As the plants enter the passage between the picker housings the spindles are fed inward successivelyfrom each side and penetrate between the branches from i one side of the plant to the other and as before rcmarkcd are sothickly distributed that they necessarily come in contact with any opened cotton boll. Each picker rel'nains in. contact with any boll which it may have touched a sufl'icicnt time for the teeth in their rotation to become entangled with the loose cotton and wind it up, since the spindles rcn'lain for a substantial period substantially stationary relative to the plant by reason of the fact that they are fed rcarrwardly at the same speed that the machine progresses along the row of plants. After the required period each spindle is ltatracted gradually and wiping across or between the inner edges of the vacuum chamber slot is stripped of its cotton which is carried by the draft created by the fan to the storage rcceptacle. The spindles are then carried around the rear sprockets and turned under the chains, carried forward and again projected and brought to the upper side of the pair of chains ready for a repetition of the operation. If, however, as before explained,

sprockets 36 are.

shaft 112extend telemachine without changing the apt];

I H (i I W. a pindle comes'incontact nmte al it ifiaffqi' d v y a pressure ofi'tss ring anti 1 1s a it relieved K v. 7 .v

v iw m te fit a ected lIJL'bSIltiOI lt-OLJS withdrawn by travel of the chains which carry iti It will now be seen that,theniach1 scribed and shown above is oinparam y simple in operation and construction and capable of completely removing' allij 5 ton from the plants treated ith l tiji'ir'y either to the plants themselvesor to tli n;

ripe bolls. While the above is the,

of my invention at present known to 1116; it is obvious that many changes may be made therein without departing from the of my invention as set forth in the follo claims.

Iclaim; a 1. In a machine for pickingbcf ton a truck, cotton-picking mechanism" 111, tl'iercol'i compris 1g, a pluralityl 'r posed sets of picking fingers, mean ccssi vcly projecting the fingers of:' I into contact with the cotton plants" picked and moving them rcarwardlyot I a direc f tion of thefingc s. y

In a cotton picking machine; a ti ic carriage, cotton picking mechanisminoun ed thcrcon comprising a plurality (f posed imlc wndcntly mounted sets gers. means for successively projerf fingcrs of each set into contact with tli ton plants to bepickcd. aiuln ofn rcanvardly of the machine at a sic W stantially equal to the speed of the forwai movement of tluhnuuzhimu y y 3. ln a cotton-picking machinc. a tljuclt iii carriage a cottou pickingmcchanisn'imount cd. lhcrcolr comprising a plurality ofsiipeposcd sets of l'i'fl'gcls, means forsucccss' projcctmg the fingers of each sct fintocontact with tho cotton plantsand lnovingthcm along with thesamc without changing the hi direction, of the lingers. the sp ecd of rca ward movement of the lingers icing edual to' the spccd of for 'ard movement 'of thc d e" vice as a wlmle. y: w

4. In a cotton-picking machine, a trllck or carriage, cotton'pirking mccliiim. mounted thereon comprising a pluralit superposed sets of picker fingers, 'inean" maintaining the picker lingers siibstanti parallel to cach other and projcctingftl successively into and witlulrawing from contact with the plant and forcarl ing them laterally with respect to their ,n direction and rearwardly ofthc macliiiu 5. In a cotton-picking lllnlllli fl'i' 'lj tl riage or truck, cotton-picking nu hal mounted thereon cmnprising aplilrallt sum'moscd pairs of carrying device able in parallel paths, picker fingers.

mounted upon both carrier devices of each pair. and movable laterally "cal spectively transverse to thereby rearwardly of the machine. 6. In a cotton picking machine, a vertiseries of parallel endless chains, each having a portion of its path extending sub stantially horizontal and longitudinally of the machine, a. separate series of picker fingers-connected to each said chain and movable therewith longitudinally of the machine, and means for keeping said fingers rcthe machine. 7. In a cotton picker of theclass described, a carriage, a series of endless chains mounted thereon, each having a portion of its course substantially horizontal and parallel to the line of movement of the machine, and another portion of its course displaced laterally fromthe first said portion,

. a series of picker fingers mounted upon each said chain, means for maintaining the picker fin ers at all times in substantially parallel re ation to each other, and means for reciprocating the picker fingers axially.

8. In a cotton pickingtmachine, a vertical series of pairs of superposed endless chains substantially their courses, a setof picker fingers mounted across each pair of endless chains and carried laterally thereby, and means for driving theendless chains.

9. In a cotton picking machine, a vertical series of superposed pairs of endless chains substantially parallel throughout their courses, a set of picker fingers mounted across each pair of chains and carried laterally thereby, said picker fingers axially reciprocable with respect to said chains, means for'reciprocating the picker fingers, and means for driving the endless chains.

10. In a cotton-picking machine, a carriage or truck, a plurality of superposed sets of pickers mounted thereon and adapted to be projected igto contact with the cotton to be picked, means for carrying the pickers rearwardly of the machine on one level and feeding them forwardly of the machine on a different level While maintaining all the fingers substantially parallel.

11. In a cotton-picking machine, a truck, a cotton-picking mechanism thereon comprising a wall having a series of longitudinal slots therein, an endless series of picker 'fingers for each slot, means fol-projecting, progressing and retracting the fingers through the slots while maintaining them substantially perpendicular to the wall.

12. In a cotton picking machine a truck, a cotton picking mechanism thereon comprising awall having av series of longitudinal slots therein, an endless series of picker fingers for each slot, means for projecting the fingers of each series successively and in order at the-forward end of its slot and for progressing and retracting the fingers in order through the slots while maintaining the wall.

. projecting,

parallel throughout them 'siibstantially perpendicular to 13. In a cotton-picking machine, a truck, a cotton-picking mechanism thereon comprising a wall having a series' of longitudinal slotstherein, an endless series of picker fingers for each slot,-means for successively progressing and retracting said fingers through the slots While maintaining them substantially perpendicular to said wall, and means for rotating the picker fingers.

14. In a cotton-picking-machine, a truck,

a c0tton-picking mechanism thereon com-.

prising a Wall having alseries of longitudinal slots therein, an endless series of picker.

fingers for each slot, means for successively projecting, progressing and retracting fingers through the slots while maintaining them substantially perpendicular to .said wall, and means for rotating the picker fingers during a portion of the movement thereof.

15. In a cotton picking machine, a carriage, a pair of endless chains arran ed in 17. In a cotton-picking mechanism, a

truck or carriage, picker mechanism mount ed thereon comprising an endless chain, means for guiding and actuating said chain comprising sprockets at either end of the loop thereof, inclined transversely of the truck, picker fingers carried by the enilless chain machine in one level and forwardly with respect thereto in another level.

and adapted to be fed rearward ofthe 18. In a cotton picker, a truck orcarrier,

and a cotton picking mechanism mounted thereon comprising a pair of endless chains arranged in parallel courses substant ally longitudinal of the machine, the backward run of each chair. being substantially horizontal, the jorwaid rum of the chains being and more remote from the center of the truck than the backward runs on a lower have] of the chain, and a selics of mounted upon both chains. 7 y

19. In a cotton picker, a truck or carriage and a cotton picker mechanism mounted thereon; comprising a pair of endless chains arranged in parallel courses substantially spindles each p I p lthan Ilieeehaias. andnipi-eii-etndinalv, eaterdithe not spindles .ea'ch pivotboth chains.

and a cotton-picker mechanism mounted thereon comprisin f reetly engage when the prising a plurality a pair of endless-chains arranged in para lel courses substantially horizontally and longitudinally of the machine, the run of the chains in one direction being on a lower level than the run of the chains in the other direction, and a series of spindles each universally pivoted upon both chains.

21. In a cotton'picking machine, a carriage or truck, and a cotton-pickingmechanisnrmounted thereon comprising a series of fingers, endless chains the endlesschains and arranged to move them in paths first substantially horizontal and parallelwto the axis of the carriage then at an acute angle thereto, then in a direction to further retract the spindles, then in a forward direction and then in a direction to project the spindles.

21!..111 a .cotton picking machine, a war riage and a picker mechanism thereon. com: of superposed series of picker fingers, means for carrying: the lingers rearward of the ca rriage during; the forward motion of the latter, gears on the fingers, a stationary rack with which said gears difingers are moved rearw'ardl' and means for maintaining said fingers at all times crosswise of the machine;

3i-l.'l1ra ((ltl-Ull-Plt'h'lllg machine. a carriage, a picker mechanism thereon comprising a support, a' series oi independent substantially horizontal superposed l'rames mounted on the support but detachable therefrom. a carrier mounted on each frame, and a series of spindles mounted on each carrier and adapted to lie carried thereby rearwardly oi the machine.

'i-l. In it ttilllflll lllt'lilllg machine. the combination of a carriage and a cotton-piehing .lnechanisln mounted thereupon comprising a vertical series of independent superposed carriers. means for moving the carriers longitndinally oi the machine, and a series of picker spindles on each carrier.

25. In a cotton-picking machine, the. combination of a carriage and a cotton-picl ing mechanism comprising a plurality of superposed substantially horizontal series of spindles, means for carrying the successively rearwardly of the machine and separate means for rotating the spindles of each horizontal series.

26. In a cotton-picking machine, the combination of a carriage mechanism mounted thereon comprising a plurality 'c' if ta ei psea substantially spindles longitudinally of the machine.

carrying the -'finge rs and means supporting and actuating;

spindles and a cotton-picking liiiri- I Q I lttLl series of spindles, means force tyin the n' d'les rearwardly' of the machine, and

ate means i 'r rotating the spindlesof each horizontal series comprising a 'inion upon each of the spindles and Manon-tr rack with which the pinions engage. 27. In a cotton-picking machine, the'combination with a carriage, of a picker mecha nism mounted thereon and comprising a vertical series of superposed endless chains the loop of each extending ldngitudi'nally oi the carriage, spindles mountedjon theoliains and means to actuate the latter to carry the 28. In a cotton-picking machine, the combmatlon with a carriage, of a picker mechanism mounted thereon and comprising a.

ertical series of superposed endless chains, the loop of each extending longitudinally of the carriage, spindles mounted .on the chains and means to actuate the latter to carry the spindles longitudinally of the machine, and means for rotating the spindles during a portion of their movement of translation. 29. In a cottolrpiclcing' machine, the combination with a carriage, of a picker mechanism mounted thereon and comprising a vertical series of superposed endless chains, theloop of each extending longitudinally of the carriage, spindles mounted on the chains and means to actuate the latter to'carry the spindles longitudinally of the machine, and means for rotating the spindles during a' portion or' their movement of translatioi'i, comprising a stationary rack and a pinion upon each of the spindles. J

30. In a cotton picking machine, the combination of a carriage and a cotton-picking mechanism mounted thereon, comprising a vertical series of superposed substantially independent cotton-picking units, each comprising the following elements; an endless chain. a front and a rear sprocket for guiding,support-ingaud driving the chain and a series of picker spindles mounted on the chains.

31s In a cotton-picking machine, the com bination of a carriage and a eol'tolrpicking mechanism, comprising a series of independ ent superposed cotton-picking units, each comprising the following elements; a pair of endless chains, front and rear sprocket-s for guiding, supporting and driving the chains and a series of picker spindles mounted' across the chains.

32. In a' cotton-picking machine, the comliii'nation of a carriage and a picking meohanism comprising a vertical series of independent horizontal cottolrpicking units, each comprising the following elements; an endless chain, a" front and a rear sprocket for guiding, supportingan l driving the chairnnnd picker spindles mounted on the chain; a vertical shaft and means for drivvertical series 0 sets of pickln ing, each of the endless chains from said shaft.

33. In a cotton-picking machlne, the combination of a carriage and a picking mecha- 'nism comprising avertical series of independent horizontal' cotton-picking units, each comprising the. following elements; an endless chain, a front and a rear sprocket for guiding, supporting and driving the chains, and picker spindles mounted on the chain; a vertical shaft and means for driving each ofthe endless chains from said shaft comprising a gear 77 driven from said shaft andconnections from said gear to one of the sprockets.

34. In a machine for picking cotton, a fingers, means for successively projecting t 1e fingers horizontally into contact with the plants from which cotton is to be picked, moving the-m rea rwardly, withdrawing them, changing their elevation, returning them forwardly and again projecting them.

35. In a cotton-picking machine, a series of cottonpicking fingers, means for successively projecting them, moving them firstin a horizontal plane, then down an incline,

then retracting them, returning them for-' wardly of the machine and again projecting them.

36. In a cotton-picking machine, a truck, a pair of sprocket wheels arranged substantially in the same horizontal plane and canted substantially equally with respect thereto and transversely of the truck, a chain carried by said sprockets, a series of picker fingers pivoted to the chain, means tion above the sprockets an by: side, sprockets carrying the chains and canted transversely of the achine, a series of picker fin ers connecte to the chain and arranged to e carried thereb in one direcdirection below the sprockets, and means for driving the chains.

38. In a cotton-picking machine, a pair of sprocket wheels canted laterall of the machine, an endless chain carried by the sprocket wheels, a series of sleeves universally pivoted to the sprocket chain, picker fingers mounted in the sleeves, means for maintaining the picker fingers in a substan tially horizontal position and means for driving the chain.

. 39. In a cottonpicking machine, a pair of parallel. endless chains arranged side by side and extending longitudinally of the ma chine, means fol" supprping the chains on an-incline so that the orvvard run of each chain is at a different height from the rearward run, sleeves universally pivoted to said chains and a series of picker fingers carried by said sleeves and arranged to be fed rear wardly above the chains and forwardly be low the same.

40. In a cotton-picking machine, an endless chain extending longitudinally thereof, means for supporting the chain with its forward run below its rearward run, a series of-lugs 86 pivoted to the chain, a series of sleeves pivoted in the lugs, a series of fingers carried by the sleeves and meansfor driving the chain.

41. In a cotton-picking machine, a series of cottmi-picking fingers, means for'rotating the same, feeding them rearwardly of the machine and retracting them, a pair of resilient plates 102102, curved at one end and arranged to contact with opposite sides of the fingers as they are retracted.

HARVEY L. FISHER.

Witnesses:

JOHN B. MAGAULEY, Ronnn'r DOBBERMAN.

in the other. 

